The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will recognise only the candidates submitted by the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), confirming that the faction has already uploaded candidates for 471 elective positions ahead of the 2027 general election.
INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission granted the Mark-led leadership access to its candidate nomination portal after the Supreme Court affirmed it as the authentic leadership of the party.
Haruna said the rival faction had no legal authority to submit candidates.
He said: “Yes, we gave the Mark-led faction the code based on the recent Supreme Court judgment that affirmed his leadership of the party. The faction has since submitted most of its candidates for a total of 471 elective positions comprising two presidential candidates, 109 senatorial candidates and 360 House of Representatives candidates.
“The court, however, did not direct us to accept any submissions by the rival faction, which had already lost its appeal for recognition.”
ADC Seeks Prosecution of Factional Leader
The clarification came amid claims by a factional leader of the ADC, Nafiu Bala, that he had obtained INEC’s access code and uploaded candidates for the party.
Reacting, the ADC welcomed the electoral commission’s position and called for Bala’s investigation and prosecution over what it described as false claims.
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In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said INEC had confirmed that Bala neither received access to the restricted nomination portal nor uploaded candidates on behalf of the party.
According to the statement, the document circulated by Bala claiming he had secured access to the commission’s portal was forged.
“The African Democratic Congress welcomes the prompt clarification by the Independent National Electoral Commission, which unequivocally confirmed that the document circulated by Nafiu Bala purporting to show that he had obtained the commission’s access code and uploaded candidates on behalf of the ADC for the 2027 general election was forged, and that the claim itself was entirely false.
“The issue before us is no longer simply about the continuous false statements that have been issued by Nafiu Bala at the behest of his sponsors. It is about the clear and unmistakable attempt to mislead the Nigerian public,” the statement read.
The opposition party argued that falsely claiming access to INEC’s restricted nomination platform was a serious matter that should attract the attention of security agencies.
It urged the commission to ensure that everyone connected with the alleged false claim is investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“To publicly claim that one has gained access to INEC’s restricted nomination platform and exercised powers reserved for duly recognised party officials is a grave matter that deserves the immediate attention of law enforcement agencies.
“As a responsible party, the ADC therefore calls on INEC to take all the necessary steps to ensure that Mr Nafiu Bala and anyone else involved in originating or promoting this falsehood are investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” the party added.
INEC Awaits Certified Appeal Court Judgment
The latest development follows an earlier allegation by Atiku Abubakar’s Media Office that INEC had granted Bala access to the commission’s nomination portal, a claim the electoral body subsequently denied.
Haruna also said INEC would not immediately comment on Monday’s Court of Appeal judgment concerning the ADC leadership dispute until it obtained and reviewed the Certified True Copy of the decision.
He said, “INEC cannot say anything until we see the judgment. We have to see the details of the judgment first. Hopefully, within the next 48 hours, the court should release the judgment. We will study it before the commission takes a position.”
Appeal Court Upholds Ruling on ADC Congresses
Monday’s judgment affirmed an earlier decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja restraining INEC from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC.
The Court of Appeal, in a split decision of two to one, upheld the judgment of Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who ruled that the dissolution of the party’s state executives violated the ADC constitution.
Justice Abdulmalik had held that the Mark-led leadership acted unlawfully by dissolving the state executives before the expiration of their tenure and replacing them with caretaker committees to conduct state congresses.
The trial court also ruled that the power to conduct state congresses rested with the elected state executives, whose tenure had been extended by four years following an internal mediation process.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the ADC, David Mark, National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola and Bolaji Abdullahi appealed the judgment, arguing that the dispute was an internal party matter and that the respondents failed to exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism before approaching the court.
However, the appellate court dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the lower court.
ADC says Judgment Does not Affect Candidates
The ADC maintained that the Court of Appeal decision relates only to the conduct of ward, local government and state congresses and does not affect the direct primaries through which its candidates for the 2027 elections emerged.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.